Like the Red Rose…
by Mayushii
Summary: Kurama struck a deal to keep Yukina safe. What will Hiei do when he finds out? And who is the demon trying to save Kurama from his fate? Kurama's POV, postseries. Shonen-ai, Hiei/Kurama, OC/Kurama.
1. Chapter 1

Like the Red Rose…

by Mayushii

All copyright materials are property of their respective owners.

A/N: Yes, it's a new fanfic. Hmm, the beginning reminds me a lot of "Miss You, Love You". Same idea of exhaustion, and there's even a shower scene. The main difference is that there is no real sense of relief in this story. In my other fic, Hiei could relax and enjoy bathing and eating and eventually sleeping (*cough*). Kurama can take no comfort here. Poor fox.

I hope you guys don't get mad at me for writing another fic. I really do intend to finish my others, but I just had to post this before someone else got the same idea. I've had the concept for this story since 2004 and only recently decided to write it.

**Yes, this is the same story I posted a week ago**. No one reviewed then, so I'm hoping a second posting will get a better response. I'll probably keep this one up even if it doesn't get a response, simply because I _did _work hard on this story and think it deserves to exist outside of my own computer.

* * *

Chapter One

The sky was a wash of blue-gray with traces of dawn's pinks and yellows blossoming out in the east. It was nearly sunrise, and soon the residents of the Tokyo suburb would be awake.

Kurama shivered, rubbing his chilled arms as he limped down the empty, misty road. He felt very foolish, hugging himself for warmth, wearing only slacks and a thin shirt. The outfit was okay for a warm afternoon, but he had felt the chill when he was sneaking out at ten o'clock last night. Why hadn't he thought to bring a jacket?

_Careless, _Kurama thought ruefully, _but it doesn't matter now. _He hugged himself tighter, though it was more for emotional support than for warmth. _Just a little farther. Then I can go to bed. Warmth. Sleep… _He yawned, his head throbbing as his eyes drifted halfway closed. _Mm, I really want some sleep._

As he walked, Kurama felt a niggling worry that someone would find him sneaking back in. But that was just paranoia. He didn't really think he would be caught; no one ever woke this early. Of course, Kurama liked to be prepared for any situation, so he brainstormed ideas for what he would say if someone did catch him.

_I went out for my run, and it took longer than usual. No, I'm wearing loafers_. _I just took a walk then. Or maybe I went to watch the sunrise…_

He made his way up the front steps, teeth chattering and head pounding from sleep deprivation. Then he froze. He stared at the front door, dumbstruck for a few seconds. Oh Inari, he had left his key in… But no matter. Kurama gracefully brushed the oversight off. He plucked a stray twig from his hair and slipped it into the lock. A few twists of his energy and there was a click. Tucking the twig over his ear, Kurama opened the door and toed off his shoes.

Naturally, there was no one downstairs yet. Kurama padded down the hall in his socks and entered the room at the end. The lights went on and the clothes went off, quickly stripped from his body and tucked away in the shelf for safekeeping. Naked and still shaking a bit from his long walk in the cold, Kurama opened the glass door to the washroom and turned on the shower.

While he waited for the water to heat up, Kurama considered the stool waiting under the falling water. It probably wasn't wise to put weight there. He moved the stool out of the way, placing it in the tub. Standing under the spray, he began to clean himself.

As a _kitsune_, Kurama was quite familiar with the process of grooming. He didn't have to think about it, so he allowed his thoughts to wander as he showered. First came shampoo, lathering up his hair with sweet, strawberries-and-cream foam. After rinsing and repeating came the conditioner, but even the silky feel on his scalp couldn't draw Kurama from his semiconscious state. So his hands moved of their own accord, washing the back of his neck and throat, then moving down his shoulders and arms. It was calming, even nice.

Then he felt a burning sensation on his chest and stomach. Kurama looked down, startled. There were bright pink patches all over. Glancing at the bottle of shower gel, he found that he had used quite a bit more than usual. His mind had been tricked into thinking he was still dirty, and he had scrubbed his skin raw.

Frowning slightly, Kurama finished his shower and left the washroom. He dried himself off with a towel, taking care not to further irritate the skin on his torso, and tied the towel neatly around his waist. Collecting his clothes from the shelf, Kurama left the bathroom.

As he passed the kitchen, his stomach growled at him moodily. He had neglected it all night and now it was demanding some attention. Kurama sighed and kept walking. He wanted to eat, but he'd just have to wait until breakfast. In the meantime…

Kurama crept up the stairs and into his room. He dumped his clothes and towel in the hamper and picked up the carnation-pink pajamas that waited at the foot of his bed. As he changed, awkwardly trying not to move his legs too much, he remembered Hiei's words from so long ago… "Foolish attachments will be your downfall." Perhaps the little _hiyoukai _had been right after all.

Sighing, Kurama gingerly climbed into bed and pulled the blankets up around his chest. He lay one hand on the pillow near his cheek. For a minute he just stared at the wall, feeling the throb of his head and the ache deep in his body. Tears shone in his eyes, and he bit his lip delicately.

_I shouldn't be upset. It's over. Everything's okay now. _He was clean and warm, in comfortable pajamas and in his own bed. And he wouldn't have to go back for another week.

_Oh Inari, I don't ever want to go back… _He let out a quiet sob, a few bright tears spilling down his face. He never wanted to go back to that place. He hated it, he hated being forced to go, he hated the things he had to do when he went. But he had a responsibility. One day each week. That was what was required of him.

Kurama breathed in deeply, shaking. Just one day. That wasn't too much to ask. He breathed again and let it out slowly. _It's okay. I can handle this_, he thought as he breathed. Soon, he felt calmer. It was okay. He was okay. Really, everything would be okay. He just had to calm down.

Soft, pure light shone in through his bedroom window, and Kurama sighed through his nose. Dawn was breaking, and the things that had happened last night were disappearing. Harmless shadows chased away by the morning sun. A weak smile curved Kurama's lips at the thought. If only it were true…

As Kurama's breathing slowed and deepened in sleep, a sparrow landed on his windowsill with a chirp. The bird cocked its head to the side, looking at him for a moment, and then it fluttered away.

Shiori walked down the hall, slippered feet soundless on the carpet. She stopped outside of the second door. For a moment she listened, and then she knocked quietly.

"Shuichi, your father and brother already left. Don't you want to come downstairs?" A faint mumble. Shiori frowned worriedly. "Can I come in?"

There was no response, so she opened the door and entered her son's bedroom.

It was a large room, bright and open. The walls were a sunny yellow, the furniture pale and unstained. Everything was spotless and smartly arranged. The neatness of the room made the boy laying facedown, hidden in a tangle of sheets, look even worse. His usually peachy face was pale and marred by dark circles around his eyes. Even his hair, the long red mane that he cared for unfailingly, was tousled and unkempt.

"Mmh…" Shuichi turned his head, opening his eyes blearily. "Mother…?"

"You look awful," Shiori murmured. "Are you sick?" She crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. Shuichi blinked when she placed a hand on his forehead, feeling for his temperature. Her eyes softened, and she turned her hand over, gently stroking her son's face.

"You've got a bit of a fever," she said. "Maybe you should stay in bed today."

"I'm not sick," Shuichi said, voice a bit raspy with fatigue. "I'm just sleepy. I… I couldn't sleep last night, so I stayed up reading."

Shiori smiled gently. "Well, let me bring up some breakfast, okay?"

"You don't have to do that," Shuichi protested. Shiori laughed softly, tucking his hair behind his ear.

"Oh Shuichi, you never let me play mother. Just once, I'd like to take care of my son."

Shuichi watched as Shiori stood up and walked across the room. She paused just long enough to smile at her son before closing the door.

Shiori hummed as she dropped dollops of batter onto the griddle and pressed the lid down. Leaving the pancakes to cook for a few minutes, she checked the water in the tea kettle and then went to the fridge. Hmm, she was sure there was some in here… She dug through the shelves and compartments until she found what she was looking for.

_Shuichi is so polite, but set some jam in front of him and he gobbles it right up. My little kitsune. _Shiori giggled, taking the jar of red bean jam from the shelf.

A short while later, Shiori opened the top of the griddle. Twenty round, golden cakes sat waiting. She had only just gotten them onto a plate when she heard the sound of footfalls. Shiori turned and caught a glimpse of pink pajamas and bright red hair at the bottom of the stairs.

"I thought I was bringing these up to you," Shiori murmured to herself. She smiled, turning toward the doorway to greet Shuichi, but her smile faded when she realized her son was not coming to check on the _dorayaki_.

He stood motionless, wide green eyes locked on the door. Shiori left the kitchen silently, going out into the hall. She was just about to reach out to Shuichi when a loud bang startled her. She backed away, half hiding in the kitchen doorway.

"Kuramaaaa!" a voice yelled. More banging, the reinforced door almost rattling on its hinges. "Kurama, open up! We have a crisis on our hands here!"

Shuichi moved toward the door, and Shiori blinked. _What's this…?_

"I mean it Kurama, Kuwabara's having a fucking nervous breakdown and I—" Shiori watched, surprised when her son opened the door and easily caught the fist that almost crashed down onto his head. "Oh. Uh…"

Shiori batted her eyelashes several times. There was Shuichi's friend, Kuwabara, and another man Shiori thought looked familiar. He was shorter than either of the redheads, with black hair combed back away from his face and large brown eyes. Shiori wasn't sure where she had seen him before.

"Is there a reason you're trying to break down my door, Yusuke?" Shuichi said, his voice oddly calm for someone who had nearly been beaten over the head. The dark-haired man, Yusuke, floundered a little before jerking his fist from Shuichi's grasp.

"We've got a serious problem," Yusuke said quickly.

"Yukina's gone!" Kuwabara burst out. Yusuke was pushed aside as Kuwabara grabbed Shuichi's shoulders. "They took her—tell me what to do Kurama, _I don't know what to do_—"

As Kuwabara continued, near hysterics, Shiori peered at her son questioningly. Shuichi's already pale face had gone white as bone. He stood numbly, swaying to and fro as his shoulders were shaken.

"I-impossible," Shuichi said faintly. "Why would he take Yukina…?"

"I don't know!" Kuwabara cried. "Kurama, please, we've gotta get her back!"

"We will," Shuichi said. "Kuwabara, please calm down. No good will come of losing our heads." It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than anything.

There was a whistling sound. Shuichi whipped his head around and stared at the kitchen doorway, eyes wide. Knowing she was caught, Shiori stepped into plain view. Kuwabara and Yusuke froze.

"Uh, um…"

"G-Good morning Mrs. Hatanaka," Kuwabara choked out. He forced a very watery smile. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, Kazuma," Shiori said. The whistling of the tea kettle grew louder, and she motioned toward the dining room with one hand. "Please, come inside. I've just made breakfast."

The men looked distinctly uncomfortable as they walked into the dining room. Shuichi hung back a little, and it couldn't be clearer that he wanted to talk to Shiori. She merely touched his shoulder.

"We'll talk later," she said quietly. "Your friends need you right now."

Shuichi bit his lip, hurrying into the room after Kuwabara and Yusuke. Shiori sighed softly. _I wonder how long he'll be gone this time…_

* * *

_kitsune _- a fox that takes a human form, usually of an attractive woman. A kitsune's tail will split once every hundred years, forming up to nine tails. Anyone who looks at these tails is entranced by their beauty and falls under the kitsune's spell. Kitsune can be good or bad or somewhere in between, but they are always very clever. I could go into more detail, but the rest doesn't really apply to Kurama.

_hiyoukai _- written with the kanji _hi _火 ("fire"), _you _妖 ("bewitch/wicked"), and _kai_ 怪 ("wonder"). Of course, when put together the second two kanji mean "demon", so this is "fire-demon".

_dorayaki _- a sort of pancake sandwich with a sweet adzuki bean filling. According to folklore, a kitsune's favorite foods are adzuki beans and tofu, so Kurama would probably eat any dish containing one of the two. No, Shiori does not know that Kurama is a kitsune; she just noticed his eating habits and jokingly thinks of him as one.


	2. Chapter 2

Like the Red Rose…

by Mayushii

All copyright materials are property of their respective owners.

A/N: Thanks go to **ILoveKuramaTooMuch**, **Yoko-cw**, **kimie**, and **Rusting Roses** for reviewing the first chapter. In answer to **kimie**'s question: Kurama's human name is Minamino Shūichi. As some people's computers don't register macronized u's it is most often spelled "Shuichi" or "Shuuichi". Kurama kept the name Minamino when his mother remarried, but Shiori would have taken her new husband's family name. So she's Hatanaka Shiori now. Hope that cleared everything up!

* * *

Chapter Two

Plates of _dorayaki _and cups of green tea were placed on the table in front of Yusuke and Kuwabara (Kurama refused to sit down). The three men thanked Shiori for the food, Kuwabara even saying that it looked delicious. She gave them all a smile and stroked Kurama's hair before leaving. Despite the food laid before them, not one of the men moved to eat.

"Start from the beginning," Kurama instructed. "When did you last see Yukina?"

"Five o'clock yesterday," Kuwabara said immediately. "I was helping her with her chores. I stayed with her at the temple the whole day."

"And you didn't sense anything when you were there?" Kurama asked. "Nothing seemed strange at all?"

Kuwabara dropped his eyes to the table. Yusuke put a supportive hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, Kuwabara. What was it?" Yusuke coaxed.

"I… I didn't think it was anything to worry about," Kuwabara said, sounding hopelessly upset. "It showed up a few hours before I left. It didn't feel bad… It was just _there_. I've been sensing a presence around the temple since last month, but it never did anything, so I thought—I thought it was okay to leave—"

Kuwabara clenched his hands uselessly, tears sharp at the corners of his eyes.

"Don't blame yourself, Kuwabara. You had no reason to believe that the presence meant harm," Kurama said. Kuwabara shook his head.

"I should have _known_…!"

"But you did not," Kurama said sharply, "and you should not feel bad about it." Kurama's green eyes softened just a little, and his voice quieted. "Do you have any idea why Yukina was taken?"

"I don't know. When I got there it looked like she could've just up and left. But I found…this thing." Kuwabara displayed a round sphere made of glass. Something black splashed about, like ink that somehow didn't stain the inside of the ball. Kurama walked around the table, holding out his hand to take the sphere. "I don't know what to do with it…"

Kurama stared at the sphere with narrowed eyes for a moment. Then, suddenly, he turned and threw it against the wall. The glass shattered.

"What the hell was that for?" Kuwabara yelled at the top of his lungs. He leapt to his feet and grabbed Kurama, shaking him violently. "That was our only clue to finding Yukina! What the hell is _wrong _with you—"

"Look."

Kuwabara turned, looking at the shards of glass and the black ink on the wall. He froze when the ink moved—stretched—spread out over the wall and began to make long, sweeping strokes as if painted by a brush.

"It's called a spirit of words," Kurama said. "A means of communication common in the demon world."

A few strokes formed eyes, large and dark and innocent. Another quick stroke painted a sweet face. The hair was brushed in around the chin in a soft, feminine style, and soon the body took shape, clothed in a simple yukata and no shoes. When the picture was complete, Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara found themselves staring at a very beautiful young boy.

"That kid kidnapped Yukina?" Kuwabara was baffled.

"Good morning, Urameshi Team. I am Asako," said the boy in a sweet, high-pitched voice. "I hope that the sudden departure of Miss Yukina has not worried you. I am sorry, but it was impossible to tell you about her removal from the temple ahead of time. Be assured that she came of her own free will and is unharmed. Please believe me—my master only wishes to keep Miss Yukina from harm. I cannot discuss the details, but these are necessary measures for her safety. She will not be hurt while in my master's care.

"Master Hiyama hopes to meet with you. In five days, he will wait for you at the place where the Kumaishi Mountains meet the Akakai River. If you meet with my master, everything will become clear."

There was a small pause as the boy's eyes softened. The brush strokes faded away, and the wall was left blank. The only remnants of the message were the shards of glass scattered on the floor.

"That was illuminating," Kurama murmured.

"What was?" Kuwabara asked, bewildered. "If you ask me this spirit thingy only made things more confusing."

"No, that's not true. We know how he got to Yukina without anyone noticing," Kurama said. "That boy is a _suzumeyou_."

"What, a sparrow demon?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes. As a bird, he would have been able to get close to Yukina. He could have eaten from her hand and no one would have known the difference." Kurama looked at Kuwabara. "If you sensed this _suzumeyou _around the temple for a whole month… He must have been watching her, learning her routines. Reconnaissance. This is too well-planned to be a random kidnapping."

"I can't believe I didn't notice—"

"Kuwabara, please." Kurama frowned thoughtfully. "You said you sensed no other traces of energy in the temple, so the boy must have been alone. And even fully grown _suzumeyou _are made for stealth, not strength. The boy could not have physically forced Yukina to leave."

"And there were no signs of a struggle," Yusuke said slowly. "He wouldn't have had time to clean up after himself, would he?"

"Not if he had a resisting _koorime _on his hands," Kurama agreed. "Therefore, there must not have been a struggle to clean up. Moreover, he could not have drugged or otherwise incapacitated her to keep her from struggling. A child of his size could not have carried Yukina alone." Kurama paused and drew himself up. "I conclude that Yukina must have gone with the boy, freely and willingly."

"But that's—" Kuwabara's mouth hung open like a fish. Then he leaned forward, baring his teeth as he growled, "Yukina would only have left if she thought she was in danger, and I would have _known _if she were!"

"Well you didn't exactly know that one of the birds she was feeding was a demon, now did you?" Yusuke retorted. Kuwabara looked like he'd been slapped in the face. Kurama sighed and moved around the table, placing a hand on Kuwabara's shoulder supportively.

"It was not your fault, Kuwabara," Kurama said softly. "I doubt I would have known, either." Kurama shot a dirty look at Yusuke, who held up his hands defensively. Then he returned his gaze to Kuwabara and squeezed his taller friend's shoulder. "If it is any consolation, I believe that Yukina is safe."

Kuwabara was silent for a long moment. Then he sighed.

"So, what do we do?"

"Only thing we _can _do is go to Kumaishi," Yusuke said. He looked toward Kurama. "Unless Fox-Boy has a plan?"

"…Kumaishi and Akakai… That's _hiyoukai _territory." Kurama nodded to himself, then spoke louder. "If the boy was telling the truth—and the more I consider it, the more certain it seems—his master can shed some light on our situation. We should meet this Hiyama. But we must be very careful. Unlike _suzumeyou, _fire demons are far from pushovers."

"Yeah," Yusuke nodded. "Hey, speaking of fire demons, shouldn't we try and get hold of Hiei?"

Kurama bit his lip.

"I…don't think that's possible," Kurama said hesitantly. "Hiei left Mukuro's fortress two months ago to train on his own. He could be anywhere now."

"Damn him," Kuwabara growled. "He says he cares about Yukina, but he's not even here to look for her!"

"Kuwabara, don't you even _think _of talking shit about Hiei!" Yusuke quickly rose to the absent demon's defense. "It's not his fault that he's not here! You don't have any fucking idea how Hiei would feel if he knew his si—"

"_Enough!_" Kurama cried, managing to cut Yusuke off before he could blab Hiei's secret. "It doesn't matter who is to blame for what. All that matters now is getting to Kumaishi and finding Yukina."

"…Right," Kuwabara said, slightly grudgingly. "Right. So, how do we get to that place?"

"There are two portals we could take," Kurama said. "The closest one is in the middle of the desert of Toranin. We could head south to the Akakai, and then follow it to the mountains. I admit, deserts are not my favorite terrain… But if we took the other portal we would have to go through Koushokuki" Kurama grimaced, "and not only is that far worse terrain, it would take twice as long to get to the mountains."

"Guess we're heading to Toranin, then. Y'know, I keep meaning to check up on Hokushin and see how he's handling things, but something always comes up… Too bad the Tower is the other way," Yusuke mused. "You guys make sure to pack water, okay? It'll take a whole day to get to the Akakai River, and you get dehydrated real fast in the desert."

"Noted," Kurama said. "We should get some supplies before we go. We'll meet up at the temple in two hours."

* * *

Asako - written with the kanji _asa _朝 ("morning") and _ko _子 ("child"). This name is almost exclusively given to girls, but I thought it was appropriate for a little songbird.

Hiyama _- _written with the kanji _hi_ 火 ("fire") and _yama_ 山 ("mountain"). The two put together are usually read _kazan _("volcano"), but I prefer Hiyama because that's the name of Hiei's voice actor.

Kumaishi - written with the kanji _kuma _熊 ("bear") and _ishi_ 石 ("stone").

Akakai - written with the kanji _aka_ 赤 ("red") and _kai_ 貝 ("shell").

_suzumeyou _- written with the kanji _suzume_ 雀 ("sparrow") and _you _妖 ("bewitch/wicked").

_koorime_ - written with the kanji _koori _氷 ("ice") and _me _女 ("woman"). Some people claim that the _me _is 芽 ("sprout"). They're wrong. Both the manga and the anime used the kanji for "woman" so that's what I'm using.

Koushokuki - written with the kanji _kou _好 ("like"), _shoku_ 色 ("love affair"), and _ki_ 木 ("tree"). The first two kanji put together make a noun meaning "lecher", so we're actually looking at "lecher-tree". And if you recognize which fanfic I'm alluding to here, I will love you forever.


End file.
